


These are the Voyages

by auwana



Category: Dragon Age: Origins, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Because I can, F/F, F/M, Multi, Soulmates, don't waste your time leaving flames because I work in retail, it makes me happy, not quite finished fics, ofcs/author insertion galore, read and be amused
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-04-27 09:16:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5042620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auwana/pseuds/auwana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are at least six people who want to see what else I get up to when I'm not writing my Natasha/OFC fic. Only two of them are finished, but I can be prodded into continue some of them. Here be monsters, cause they all focus on my original character. </p><p>The Avengers work with the only human in the world who can close rifts. (Dragon Age x-over)<br/>Clint and Natasha discover a new soulmate.<br/>Omega Wanda and Alpha Natasha decided that, yeah, they wouldn't mind have a beta in their lives.<br/>Clint's one night stand turns out to have a plan to save the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ask, and ye shall receive. Here are the bits and pieces I write when the muses throw random confetti at me.
> 
> First up, Clint and Natasha discover a soulmate in Pepper's (adult) niece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is inspired by this comic (http://amusewithaview.tumblr.com/post/130843397872)

The demon war started suddenly and with no warning. SHIELD and the Avengers worked hard to contain the sudden appearances and portals. Sometimes, only watches could be posted around the rips in reality, with combat ready troops cycling through the area. Then came another battle in Manhattan.

This time, from this rift, is thrown a human.

Steve picked up the young woman, who woke up and told him to wait. He held her as she rose her hand. Green light poured out of it and she screamed as the light pierced the rift and closed it. The moment it blinked out of existence, she tucked her hand against her chest and curled against him, shivering. Steve carried her to the waiting SHIELD medics, but stayed with her, holding her in his lap as she’s examined. 

Her jeans and a tank top were thread bare, her hair knotted into a filthy bun at her neck. Her bare feet were battered and the symbol in her palm was a pale green that glittered in the sun. She reeked, her voice was rough, and she looked exhausted. 

“Dehydration, heat exhaustion, and malnourished,” the medic reported. “There’s probably a host of internal problems I can tell out here.”

Steve shifted his grip. “We’ll take care of her in the tower.”

The medic nodded, seeming to know Captain America adopted the rift closer. Steve carried her to his waiting team, though she mumbled that she can walk. “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. I’ll be asking you to do more than walk before today’s over.”

“I want steak and ice cream for every rift I close.”

“Deal. Just, not together, right?”

Her quiet giggled pleased him. They load up into the jet and leave Central Park to the agents and better trained personnel. Steve kept her in his lap, though Natasha tempted her to eat the energy bars and drink the tiny bottles of water. Steve wondered how many times Natasha has does that, as the assassin took a bite and a sip of each item before passing to their new ward. “What’s your name?”

It took her a moment, head tilted to think think on it. “Ariel.”

Steve took the time to introduce his team. Tony was already researching her using facial recognition and her name. Once at the Tower they head for the infirmary and run a body scan. She stared at the equipment, and the doctor took the time to explain what she was doing and why. There’s no flinch when the I.V. was inserted. After soaking up fluids for half an hour, Natasha leaned against the foot of the bio-bed with Darcy and asked if Ariel would like a shower, hair cut, and new clothes.

“Yes, please.”

While Natasha had Ariel thoroughly distracted, Tony showed the team and gathered support what he found online. “Ariel Kai Malaya, twenty two years old as far as our dimension’s concerned, no telling how much time passed on the other side. Average student, martial artist, avid Girl Scout,” he threw up various school newspaper articles, “and one of the first people to fight the demons.”

The compiled video was from various cell phone cameras in the parking lot of a strip mall. The rift was small, the demons numbered only a dozen. Ariel, dressed in the same clothes she fell out of the rift in, stood between the demons and the slowly gathering crowd, shouting the Lord's Prayer at the top of her lungs. The sign of the cross and prayer seemed to hold back the small hoard. But she was sweating bullets and shaking, her voice getting softer. The demons hissed and screeched, and the rift rippled. 

A shadow spit forth, grabbing Ariel. She screamed as she was hauled in. The demons flowed back in as well, as if caught in the wake of whatever it was. The rift snapped shut.

Tony stopped the video and switched it to the muted footage the world was more familiar with. The rift that opened in Kapiolani Park, Oahu, during a Pacific Games competition. The chants of Hawaiians, Maori haka, and others held the demons back until police arrived to shot the demons dead. The rift is the first one to stay open as well, though no one was ever pulled into any others.

Tony brought up a medical file and a Rift report. “The three Hawaiian rifts all shimmered and shrunk at the same time Ariel came through Central Park.”

“She is a Cleric,” Thor surmised. The Clerics were the rare few who could use magic to counter the demons and rifts. “Though none have been able to close Rifts.”

“Which is why SHIELD wants us to bring her up to speed and health as soon as possible,” Maria said, looking up from her tablet. “When Doctor Cho gives her a clean bill of health, she gets put to work.”

“And psychologically?” Bruce asked.

“If she can’t handle the pressure, we find out if the power is transferable. As painlessly as possible. You know I don’t like it, either.”

They didn’t give the messenger shit, though they did grumble. Natasha entered the room and glanced at the various videos and photos. “She’s asleep, Darcy and Jane are keeping an eye on her. She was tortured, by the looks of it, but not recently. She told me the symbol grew on her hand over time. She found an open rift to pass through, following the pull on her hand.”

“Have I said how much I don’t like magic?” Tony muttered.

“Not once today, actually,” Clint pointed out.

“Must be getting complacent. SHIELD wants her up and at ‘em asap.”

Natasha nodded, figuring as much. “So will every other government when they hear what she can do.” She looked at Maria. “I suggest shadow protocols as soon as we can move out.”

Maria looked at Clint, who nodded. She sighed. “Pack only the essentials, Avengers. Thor, I want Darcy, Jane, Betty and Doctor Cho on Asgard as soon as you can arrange it. I’ll tell the Director, but only that we’re going to ground.”

Bruce raised his hand, and Clint answered the unasked question. “No communication, no back up, completely off the record. We cease to exist. We won’t be able to move Ariel as long as anyone’s watching, and we can’t defend the Tower from demons and everyone else who wants to use her first.”

Thor leaned forward. “I suggest subterfuge as well. After the Bifrost is seen atop the Tower, I will explain Ariel is in need of mind healing and training of control. For not only can she close rifts, but open them. It is best she learn control on Asgard, is it not?”

Natasha was outright smiling at Thor.

Thor grinned at her. “I will also ask my Queen Mother about mind healing. The All-Father will not let her on Midgard, but she may be able to traverse the dream realms of Yggdrasil to aid Cleric Ariel.”

Maria was relieved. “Thank you, Thor. Let’s get moving.”

Clint sighed as he pushed away form the table. “Fifty bucks on Darce wanting a a way to show Asgardians our movie and music collection.”

“Sucker’s bet,” Tony scoffed.


	2. Walk of Shame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was inspired by the song Walk of Shame by P!nk. Yes, I stole the name from Eureka. It fits!

Ariel did a little jig as she waited for the elevator. She muttered the lyrics to a P!nk song that matched her current situation entirely too perfectly. 

"Make the elevator come a little faster. I'm pushing all the buttons, but nothing's happening. Please God don't let anybody see me. Please God I'll do anything you ask of me. I promise, no more walks of shame."

She closed her eyes as the elevator chimed softly and she rushed in before the doors fully opened and jabbed the button for her floor, signing the chorus a bit louder now that she was confined.

A feminine throat cleared behind her.

She let her head hit the shiny metal wall. Fuck, her senses needed work. She turned around and whimpered. This day wasn't going to end in rainbows and happy puppies. 

The red head in the back of the car raised an eyebrow. "You look familiar."

Ariel tilted her head back, hands tightening on her dress. "Do I lie, or do I tell the truth?"

The woman seemed a hint more amused. "There are cameras in here and I have the best facial recognition software known to mankind on my tablet."

"Ariel Malaya, head of the Global Dynamics contingent here in the Tower. Soon to lose half her senior team, since they left me alone with alcohol in the presence of a hot man."

"We have a meeting in an hour and half, if my schedule is correct."

"Hence the contemplation of lying." Ariel straightened. "Tell me now, should I show up to said meeting or just leave it to my traitorous teammates?"

"Seeing as how you're only human, I think it's safe to say I'll see you at the meeting."

"Awesome." Her floor dinged before SI's CEO, and she stalked out of the elevator on a mission.

Pepper Potts waited for the doors to close before tapping at her table. "Jarvis, who's room did she come from?"

"Agent Barton's."

Pepper blinked. Okay. "Everything on her, if you please. And if you could ask Natasha to contact me?"

"Certainly, Miss Potts."   
'  
Ariel got to the locker room at the end of the GD floor and decided she wouldn't be killing her team slowly. She'd just make it quick and painless. She grabbed the garment bag and headed for the shower, dialing Tanya as she went.

"Yes, Ariel?"

"Your husband's a dead man. Him and the rest of the cohorts."

Tanya tried not to giggle. "What did they do this time?"

"There was a SI party last night. Your husband and the rest of your friends left me alone. With alcohol. And a fine piece of male." She started a hot shower and started rucking her clothes off.

"This is a bad thing?"

"We have a meeting with SI's CEO in an hour and half. A CEO that just caught me doing the walk of shame."

"Honey, it's not a shameful thing to get laid."

"It is when you're caught by your boss!" She set the phone on a shelf, knowing it'd be fine in the stall.

"Do you still have a job?"

"For now."

"Then leave the important bits of Adam intact, please."

"Maybe. Since you asked nicely. If he doesn't do anything he should regret."

"Thanks. Lemme know how the meeting goes."

"Yeah." Ariel let Tanya disconnect the call and sped through her shower. Once she was presentable, she headed to the meeting room where the others were waiting. "Dead. All of you."

"What happened?" Cassie asked.

"You left me," Ariel said, glaring at the quartet.

"You seemed happy enough," Rocky said with a grin.

"If we didn't have a meeting this morning, I'd still be happy. But the fact I ran into CEO Potts on the way down means I'm gonna kill y'all."

They winced.

"Yea. Get your affairs in order, because I'm gonna gut the lot of you."

Billy, who was only here for the meeting, gave her a look. "And yet you're still here."

"Because Potts is, like, an awesome human being." She finally looked down at the presentation. "We good to go?"

Adam nodded, coming to stand next to her. "Yep. We just have to set up in the conference room."

Ariel nodded. "Let's roll out."   
'  
Natasha, currently playing the part of Natalie Rushman, watched the presentation from Pepper's left with a careful eye. The woman currently leading the presentation was nothing but professional. Though a brilliant scientist, she neither had the ego or condensation of those her equal. She used technical terms, but nothing too complicated, and never dumbed things down. She expected those present to know what she was talking about in general, given this was a meeting focused on science.

Global Dynamics was a relatively new company, originally focused on outdoor gear for extreme conditions and emergency situations. Their first real hit were glow sticks that emitted heat. They'd extrapolated into research equipment for extreme conditions, and in the precess developed a few defense systems. The last two was where Stark Industries came in. Since GD would need to use SI tech more often than not, a partnership was formed for the projects GD couldn't pull off on its own. SI provided materials and equipment and got to market the stuff, and GD shared in the credit. 

So far, a good working relationship.

But was it for a different reason?

Natasha had come as Pepper's assistant because of Clint. Clint, who had been in a slump since Loki and Manhattan and the tesseract. Clint, who'd been a walking shade for months. Natasha had tried everything, and sometimes she had hope for her partner and best friend. But the nightmares only got worse and there were days Steve told Clint that Hawkeye wasn't fit for duty, which was probably saving his life and ruining it at the same time.

And then last night happened. Clint not only showed interest in someone, but he hadn't gotten embarrassingly drunk. That someone clearly didn't know who she was flirting with, and Natasha and Pepper were sure her friends hadn't a clue who they left her with. Then he'd taken her back to his rooms, and since she stayed longer than was necessary for a fuck, it was assumed Clint was actually pleasant company. Jarvis had reported nothing triggered him to look into the room, since the AI had managed to develop a polite subroutine. 

Ariel Malaya's life was relatively normal. Straight A student, with Global Dynamics since its inception, and one of the main brains behind the operation. She wasn't someone who could be described as a scientist at first glance, and neither could her senior team. They were all physically fit and decently attractive, having at least one black belt. They weren't all as smart as Malaya or GD's CEO, but they were intelligent and creative. They had links to outside industries.

Adam Park, Malaya's second, was married to international R&B star Tanya Sloan. He'd been a stunt double in multiple movies before a spine injury benched him and he joined GD. Cassandra Chan was often seen with international ballerina Kathrine Hillard and Olympic gymnast Kimberly Hart, having been friends in high school. She was the only one with an engineering degree of them. Ricardo DeSantos had opened a very successful dojo in LA and left it in the capable hands of his co-owners when GD joined forces with SI. William Cranston, CEO and progenitor of Global Dynamics, graduated at the age of sixteen and developed ideas in his spare time, seeming to wait for his friends to graduate before starting the company with their help both professional and financial.

As far as Jarvis could tell, they weren't here for nefarious reasons. And their creations were doing good for the world, helping field scientists by actually listening to what was needed. Half of Antarctica swore by GD products. As far as an hour of research could determine, GD wasn't affiliated with AIM or Hydra or anyone who'd want to get close to the Avengers.

So how the hell did Malaya get, and keep, Clint's attention? The footage from last night, most of it on the balcony where the duo had taken refuge from the mingling, was of the old Clint, the one Natasha remembered and would like back, please and thank you. He'd had a few to drink, but nothing that made him anything but loose or too morose. Malaya had only been on her third beer and while affected, was still of proper mind and control enough to not make an embarrassment of herself. Chan had shown up to give Malaya a ten minute heads up, and further footage of the quartet had shown and recorded them deciding to leave Malaya in Clint's presence. Apparently the woman enjoyed work a bit too much and since she was finally enjoying herself outside of it, they shouldn't be Grinches.

Casual flirting was interspaced with commentary about the people inside and the party in general. Clint kept to a cover of being a security consultant while Ariel told him the truth. Their humors had been the same, from the recording Natasha had skimmed through, since it was longer than she had time to listen. They'd been on the balcony for two hours, having two drinks each, before Clint, suave as ever, got Ariel into his rooms. 

Malaya had left Clint's room quietly and with a smile, only getting jittery when she looked at her cell phone. 

Natasha knew Clint had gone trawling at bars, had kept an eye on him. He was hit or miss, mostly because he tended to be too drunk. And he never stayed after the deed, and she couldn't imagine him letting someone stay. Much less someone wanting to stay if he'd been his current self.

So Natasha watched the inventor, picked her apart, wondered. Clint hadn't been happy about going to the party, but Natasha threatened him well enough. He'd actually stormed out onto the balcony and stewed before apparently overhearing Ariel whining to someone, possibly Hart given the name "Kim" being used, on her cell phone. Malaya hated dressing up, it seemed, especially when Park and DeSantos ordered no hidden weapons.

Natasha watched Malaya step back so Park could explain a few finer points of the latest project. It was an excellent idea, Natasha would give them that. Malaya examined her team, looked at Cranston, then assessed those around the table. Neither Pepper nor Malaya made a comment about meeting on the elevator, and if the GD contingent knew, they stayed professional. 

Natasha realized Ariel wasn't just assessing how people were handling the presentation. She was acting like a competent agent. Loose and ready. Armed. There was a small throwing dagger up her sleeve, completely invisible if unexpected. Natasha quickly assessed the others. Unarmed, as far as she could tell. So. Why only Malaya?

The meeting ended an hour later, after a few questions on SI's part. Park and DeSantos handled most of them, except the ones aimed at Cranston. Chan and Malaya answered only when it involved a level of detail the others wouldn't know off hand. The project was given a go ahead and a time frame was quickly hashed out. 

Natasha followed Pepper back to the CEO's office.

"Well?"

"Malaya was armed. Small throwing knife, left sleeve though she comes off as right dominant. She was the only one holding herself like a martial artist. The others are trained, but she seems to be the only one active. Or they just didn't feel the need to be aware."

"What would being armed mean?"

Natasha sat and frowned. "I don't know. The recording from last night suggests she's usually hiding some kind of weapon. Before Clint approached her, she was on her cell phone, complaining about being stripped of her weapons by Park and DeSantos."

"Jarvis, do you have anything out of place?" Pepper asked.

"Nothing that would register on Stark Industries usual security parameters."

Both women traded a glance.

"And your own parameters?" Pepper asked.

"Global Dynamics has a small cooperation with a single wildlife research hospital in the Masai Mara Reservation. It is run by Aisha Campbell, a former classmate of Park and DeSantos. This, in and of itself, flags nothing, except there was no further contact when the Campbells left California and no initial search for Aisha Campbell. The arrangement happened after a single e-mail."

"So a friend moves to Africa, and they never speak to each other except to initiate a business deal?"

"Yes. The founding and senior members of Global Dynamics have all visited the hospital since, and e-mail correspondence suggests familiarity far older than the arrangement."

"Does it seem malicious or in anyway harmful to SI or Shield?" Pepper asks.

"No, it is merely an oddity."

"Shelve it. Are there other anomalies?"

"I believe the main servers of Global Dynamics had detected my presence. I believe they are in possession of an AI that may be my equal. There is nothing in any available research to suggest the company or individuals capable of such."

"Pull out of their servers and stay away from them," Natasha ordered. "It may use you to access SI."

"I have done so," Jarvis replied, neither insulted or condescending, merely stating fact. "I only believe it may be another AI because there is no pattern to the protection protocols, yet it changes too swiftly to suggest a human controller."

"Their personal computers?"

"Heavily encrypted with military standard protocols, and linked to the possible AI. Nothing suggesting malicious intent."

Natasha looked at Pepper. "When did SI and GD partner?"

"Seven years ago. GD was in it's third year and had a non-lethal development arm with LAPD. It needed better funding and materials, and Cranston wanted to work with SI instead of against it."

"And after Stark ceased weapons development?"

"GD came to the table with security and defense measures, all non-lethal or nearly impossible to twist to offensive measures. After the Iron Man revelation, GD was the first to step in to help with rebuilding. GD has always been willing to help in such ways."

"Anything they have a problem with?"

"Just the usual bureaucratic bullshit involved with being such a large company. The Board likes confirmation of profit, and GD is far more interested in getting things done, not talking about them."

"Any other oddities about GD, Jarvis?"

"Ninety percent of employees are under forty. Half of the employees are without formal degrees. Accessible data suggests a timeline of inventions and developments for the next fifty years."

Pepper raised both eyebrows. "They know what they'll be doing for the next half century?"

"Essentially. Each planned innovation in technology will lead to the next, advancing technology to the point of making current theoretical mechanics possible."

"If you can get those files without alerting their AI, do it and get them to Tony. Inform him of the situation."

"Sir is currently aware something has changed. Agent Barton has not antagonized anyone since waking."

Natasha was impressed. Clint had been surly to just about everyone all the time. He'd dial it down with her, but more often than not, she knew her presence wasn't exactly welcome.

"Any ideas of what GD is aiming for or where they got their ideas?"

"The final item on the fifty year plan is replication technology."

"Star Trek? They're aiming for Star Trek tech?"

"It would seem. There are plans for inertial dampeners, near light speed travel, and organic energy cells."

Pepper's eyes widened. "GD is based out of Angel Grove."

Natasha sat back. Angel Grove, California. The war for the city was ten years over, but there were still whispers. Still theories, conspiracy and otherwise. Still evidence of the alien attacks and invasion. Still celebrations for the Power Rangers.  
~  
Ariel sighed when she got home and leaned against the door for a long moment. The day had been longer than she wanted, but satisfying. She grinned a little. In more than one way. There was something to be said for waking up next to an attractive, attentive, and skilled bedmate. The embarrassment was well worth it, not that she'd be telling her friends that. It'd only encourage them, and there was a reason they'd been so willing to leave her with a stranger.

Maybe if there were more people with hands like his, she'd be more willing to go along with their schemes. 

She pushed off the door and brushed away the memories. No time for them. Dinner and research, a long shower, and sleep. Cold, lonely sleep, and fuck her friends for throwing her for a loop. She really wanted to hate them, because there was a damn good reason she didn't date or sleep around or have real friendships outside her core circle. She didn't relate to people all that well. That usually made them leave. She was sick of it. Her friends were different. They understood. 

They were persistent assholes.

She got to work on dinner and hummed. "What's the what, Alpha?"

"There was a program worming into GD servers," the AI reported, "but it stopped and pulled back when it reached the actively guarded files."

"What was it looking for?"

"Everything. The Cochran Plan is now in the hands of Tony Stark."

"Stars, I can't believe we went with that name. Reaction?"

"Impressed and disturbed. Almost giddy."

"Any idea why SI was looking?"

"Nothing malicious as far as I can tell."

"Probably just curious. SI's CEO caught me doing the walk of shame."

"You never did things half way, Ariel."

"Shut up, bot face. Keep an eye out for any more curious programs. As long as the info isn't classified or dangerous, let 'em take it and keep tabs."

"You got it."  
~  
Tony looked at the schematics surrounding him, impressed and frightened. He had ideas. Brilliant ideas. Ideas that could change the world. Hello, arc reactor technology. 

But this? This took a level of planning and forethought he neither had the time or patience for. Sure, he used past successes on new projects, but this? This was deliberate. This had an endgame. An amazing, literally out of this world endgame.

Space flight. Near light speed space flight. All developed and designed by a bunch of kids. Okay, those kids were late twenties now, but at the time? Teenagers. High school graduates. The world's best minds, his own mind, hadn't been able to come up with a plan like this. Hadn't been able to make half this stuff viable.

Tony didn't look up when the door slid opened, but he registered Bruce's shuffling. "How's Barton?"

"Reverting back to the man we've had to deal with. How are you dealing with all of this?"

"Part of me wants to get started with helping out now. This is fucking astounding. But I want to know why."

"Not how?"

"That'll get answered with the why, I think. Anything else new?"

"Pepper isn't thinking about abandoning the arrangement with GD unless something goes horribly wrong."

"Didn't think she would." He poked at the star ship design. "There's no weapons on this thing. Shields, sure, but no weapons. It's a research vessel. That's it."

"Does make them naive?"

"Maybe. There are files linked to this main one, plans to make everything cheaper, more accessible. It's not so much naive as hopeful."

"Natasha isn't going to tell Shield just yet. So far, GD hasn't shown to be a threat."

"And her investigation into Malaya?"

"Is leading her nowhere. As far as she can tell, Malaya got lucky with Clint being in a good mood."

Tony smirked. "Literally. She want to repeat the conditions?"

Bruce shook his head. "She's sure it's a fluke, even if she doesn't want it to be. What are you going to do with all this?"

He shrugged. "Keep an eye on it. Them. GD's senior staff has been nothing but good people, as far as I've interacted with them."

"So we're not worrying about it?"

Tony swiped the files away. "Nope."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you guys think of the first batch!


	3. Soulmates, pt1

Pepper was pleasantly surprised to arrive at her office and see an email from her niece. Ariel had become a bit of a wanderer after the death of her parents, but she sent Pepper updates as a courtesy to her last living relative. Sometimes emails, sometimes postcards, and occasionally pictures. The current message came with a photo of Ariel in front of the Statue of Liberty.

“Hey Aunt Gin, I’m in New York for a bit. I know you’re like uber busy, so I won’t ask for a lunch meet up, but maybe a phone call while we’re in the same time zone? I was at a cheetah sanctuary a month ago and have the most awesome pictures to send you while I tell you a few stories. Love ya! Ariel.”

Pepper actually remembered how obsessed with cheetahs Ariel had been as a child. She was even in track for a few years because she wanted to run as fast as she could. She hit reply and decided she could clear a few hours for her niece in a few days. Maybe they wouldn’t get any further than an unoccupied conference room in the Tower, but there would be less distractions that way.

Four days later, Tony threatens to EMP her office if she doesn’t leave the Tower, so she meets Ariel in the lobby and they walk down the street, Happy a few steps behind them. Though their contact with each other is haphazard and rare, they try for the sake of family and usually do pretty well. Ariel went through a harsh rebellious phase in high school, but Pepper attributes that to the fear of living in a monster attacked city. She never understood why her brother never pulled his family out of Angel Grove.

The diner on the corner isn’t older than Steve, but there’s a settled in character to it that says it’s seen a bit and will see a bit more. They sit in a back corner, and order whatever they think will taste good. Ariel pulls out her laptop and starts to show Pepper all the videos and pictures from the cheetah sanctuary. Cub feed and wrestling, racing against a three legged speed demon, and napping in the heat of the day. Pepper can tell Ariel misses them.

They’re in the middle of their meal when Ariel interrupts her suddenly. “Aunt Gin, got a panic button?”

Pepper frowns. “Yes. Why?”

“Hit it. Now.”

Pepper doesn’t hesitate, even as she turns around to see what caught Ariel’s suddenly focused gaze. Six men in tactical gear that is NOT Shield issue burst through the doors and aim right at her.

Happy wants to fight back, but he knows he can’t win.

Ariel is, apparently, crazy. “Get under the table and stay there until the screaming stops.”

Before Pepper can stop the younger woman, Ariel is pulling a strange gun from her pack and charging across the diner. Pepper ducks the bullets under the table. The yell she hears from Ariel isn’t one of pain, but of pure rage. Pepper’s heard that kind of rage before. She peers around the bench seat in time to see Ariel punch the last man out cold. There are four twitching on the floor and the fifth is halfway through a table. 

Ariel looks around and outside, and Pepper isn’t seeing her wanderlust niece. She’s seeing someone not exactly like Natasha, but definitely someone who’s been in more fights than not. Satisfied the threat is dealt with, Ariel hurries back over to her. “You alright, Aunt Gin?”

“Fine but- oh my god you’re bleeding!"”

“Merely a flesh wound. And since when does fine equate literal flames in your eye balls?”

Pepper closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, calming down. Thanks to the Tower’s eclectic residents, she has the best handle on Extremis she could imagine. “Happy, we need something to stop the bleeding.”

He nods and rushes into the kitchen a few feet away. Pepper comes out from under the table and makes Ariel sit, though she wants to face the doors just in case. Pepper allows it and sees it’s not just a flesh wound, but a through and through. Ariel isn’t crying or all that pale, which makes her wonder what her niece has gone through in the last five years. 

Ironman lands in the street, startling the rubber necks that had been closing in. He barely registers the gunmen on his way to Pepper. “You okay?” he asks after flipping the mask up.

She nods. “Fine. We need to get Ariel to a hospital-“

“With my lack of insurance? Are you nuts?”

Pepper gave her niece a look.

“Oh, right. Sorry, kinda bleeding out.”

Happy returns with dish towels and a roll of duct tape. Ariel winces a little at the patch up job, but still isn’t acting anything like a civilian.

“What’d you do to them?” Tony asks as they wait for the ambulance and cops.

Ariel holds up her strange gun. “Taser bullets. Charged nodes that just have to touch before a nice little electrocution. No bloody holes, no reloading, no wires.”

“Shiny. How much?”

“Tony!”

Ariel actually grinned. “Too late, invention of a friend’s. Right now he only makes ‘em for us cause they’re not exactly legal, but only because they break and don’t break laws.”

The ambulance arrived moments before the cops. Pepper goes with her niece and Happy deals with the police. Tony waits for his team to show up so they can do their own investigating. These people were here for Pepper, and Tony is determined to find out why.  
~  
After a short stay at the hospital, Ariel ends up in Avenger’s Tower. Her arm is in a sling, her shoulder is bandaged, and she’s relieved to see her stuff was picked up from the hostel. 

“I could’ve given you a room if you asked,” Pepper reminded her.

“I’m a self sufficient adult who needs no sugar momma.”

“I’m your aunt who really can afford to pay for a hotel room for a few weeks.”

“But my way is fun.”

“Your way will lead to bed mites. I’m giving you some money, and if you don’t want to use it, fine. But it’s there. In case of emergencies.”

“Insert objection here.”

Pepper nodded. “Objection noted and refuted.”

Steve sighed from his giant pot of stew. “Why can’t all the arguments here be that easy?”

“Cause y’all are A-types and I know better than to argue when Aunt Gin’s right?”

Steve thought about it for a moment. “Granted, none of us usually argue with Pepper. Probably because she’s right.”

Pepper was pleased. Ariel was amused. Clint walked in, having smelled food, or perhaps just secretly having Jarvis tell him when someone was cooking for more than one. Ariel felt her powers surge around her soul mark, keeping it from reacting. The inside of her wrist heated with the need to acknowledge her soulmate, but Ariel just grinned at the archer. “Unscientific poll: Do you argue with Aunt Gin?”

“Yeah, no, I’m not crazy. Well, not that crazy.” He grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and held it out to Steve. “Please, sir?”

The soldier rolled his eyes. “When it’s done, yes. Ask Natasha if she wants any.”

Clint pulled out his phone and texted her as he settled at the kitchen bar. “So. You kick ass.”

“Eh, sometimes I travel through not so friendly places. Having good aim and a quick draw leads to amusing reactions.”

“How’s the arm?”

“Merely a flesh wound.”

Pepper sighed.

Clint looked at her. “Any of us would’ve done the same.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like the fact anyone gets hurt because of me.”


	4. Soulmates, pt 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short because there's only like one to two more parts to this one. I have a lot of other soulmates fics though, so there will be others.

Ariel’s lack of awed reaction to the Avengers, and her relation to Pepper, had the teammates a bit at ease around her. She and Bruce spoke of similar destinations, she let Tony poke at her taser pistol, and experimented recipes with Steve. She corralled her aunt a bit from working too much. Though she didn’t want to slip up around her soulmates, she did watch all kinds of action movies with Clint. Natasha found her one day in the gym, injured arm bound close while she went through a few katas. The light sparring match the assassin initiated caught Natasha’s attention.

“She’s fought for her life,” she told Pepper over drinks. It was a weekly girl’s night, though only Maria was the other woman in attendance. Jane and Darcy were at a conference.

“I want to be surprised, but I’m not. She picked up at least three martial arts that I know of during the monster attacks. I can only imaging the trouble a young woman could get into traveling alone.” She sipped her drink. “But how can you tell?”

“Her movements are too natural, she’s focused on knock out and maiming, not disarming and disabling. Those who have never fought for their lives stick to regulation sparring rules; no headshots, nothing crippling, and no cheating.” Natasha smiled just a little. “The cheating was fun.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “You would think so. Are you going to let her leave the Tower?”

Pepper nodded. “Oh, yes. She’s an adult who’s managed to take care of herself this far. I’m going to ask for more frequent check ins, and Tony’s made a phone that won’t look too tempting to steal, but will always carry a signal.”

Natasha picked up one of the finger sandwiches Pepper always had around when they drank. “She showed Clint the cheetah videos. Her friend is known to SHIELD as a very extreme anti-poacher activist.”

Pepper closed her eyes. “Am I going to like this?”

“Aisha Taylor doesn’t kill anyone, she just drugs them and leaves them at the park ranger’s headquarters. What has SHEILD’s notice is the type of poison. Venom, but not enough to kill. Always the right amount for bodyweight, though a dozen men can be hit in the same night.” She shrugged. “It’s maybe better than stranding them naked in trees, which is what she did as a teenager.”

Pepper sighed. “Most of Ariel’s friends can be labeled dangerous in one way or another.”

Maria raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Rocky and Adam have a television show about traveling to learn different martial arts. Jason and Tommy are wold class champions. Billy developed the taser bullets, Zach runs the Teen UN Conference, Trini has achieved the highest level in one form of Kung Fu, and others are influential celebrities. Kim was an Olympic level gymnast who runs her own school, Kat is a famous ballerina, and Tanya is headlining the city next week.”

Maria sat back. “Those are a lot of friends in high places. Are you sure she needs your help?”

“I’m not. But there’s no reason I can’t. I know Tanya flew her into New York. Ariel was going to help with security, but from her latest complaints has been moved to tech support.”

Natasha didn’t smile. “Are we sure the Ten Rings were after you?”

That stilled the other two. No. They couldn't believe that. They didn't want to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, due to a friend telling me the chapter flow is confusing, I'm gonna finish out one story before adding to the other three I've dumped here. Unless someone makes a demand for one of the others. I think I can rearrange chapters later....


	5. Soulmates pt3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There won't be anything for a few days. I'm letting people employ my mad tire changing skillz and wow it's exhausting.

After hugging Tanya goodbye, Ariel dug her head phones out of her bag and plugged them into her phone. She left them hanging around her neck as she tapped in the code to get into the tower, and started dancing and singing her way to the elevator. Jarvis didn’t need directions to take her to the right floor. 

Clint and Natasha were heading to their rooms after raiding the communal kitchen for a late night/early morning snack. They had sparred the burst of energy out, and thought they could at least rest in bed if sleep couldn’t be found. The elevator dinged, and they heard Ariel before they saw her. She was in the other set of rooms across the hall, the floor being split into two living spaces. It had been meant for them both, but Tony hadn’t known at the time of design that they were soulmates.

Ariel wasn’t the best singer, but she had spirit. She was also a little drunk, given how she emerged from the doors. But what caught them really off guard was the sudden warmth in their wrists. 

Soulmate.

Ariel froze as her powers scrambled. She had let her guard down around so many other Rangers and had forgotten to put it back up. But her mark was reacting and the programming was taking hold. She backed into the elevator and demanded Jarvis shut the door.

Clint and Natasha could only stare as their soulmate panicked. When the doors closed, they rushed the door and demanded the AI open them.

“I do not believe it wise at the moment.”

“Why the fuck not?!” Clint shouted.

“Miss Malaya is currently disarming herself. She has unloaded her taser pistol into the wall.”

Clint and Natasha looked at each other. Trigger. Someone had programmed Ariel to kill her soulmates. Somehow, she had locked out that programming until alcohol had loosened her control.

The doors slid open and revealed Ariel curled up in a corner, various small weapons on the floor. Two throwing daggers, her gun, and a sap. The assassins approached slowly, knowing she could fight well enough they would have to knock her out. Clint toughed her uninjured arm, and though she flinched violently and growled at him, she didn’t attack. The warm faded from his mark. Natasha squeezed her ankle and Ariel’s knuckles turned white where she was hugging herself. But the hate in her eyes faded away and she sagged in relief when the programming ran it’s course. Clint hoisted her into his arms and she squeaked in surprise. Once in their rooms, he settled her on the couch while Natasha got them all glasses of water.

“Who programmed you?” Clint asked quietly. “And are they dead?”

“Yeah, dead. It happened in Angel Grove.” She gulped down half her glass. “The aliens tested on us before going after the Power Rangers.”

“Us?”

“My friends. I haven’t been traveling out of curiosity.” She slid a bracelet of prayer beads through her fingers. “I’ve been learning how to fight off what they did and teaching the others.” She relaxed into Clint’s hold of her when he shifted them, sitting sideways on the couch and Natasha in front. “Rocky and Adam are platonic and met when they were kids, so it didn’t work on them. Adam did almost kill Tanya when they met, but we held him down until it passed. Kat was around us when that happened and wrote one of her Aboriginal friends for help, which gave me my idea to travel to different cultures. Kim and Tommy had already met two years before. Jason is worried one of us won’t be around to stop him. Trini was alone and killed her soulmate. Zack broke his hands on a toilet bowl in Switzerland before telling his what had been done. Aisha was friends with Rocky and Adam before moving to Africa, and did a lot of networking with the tribes when we told her.”

“Did you know?” Natasha asked softly.

Ariel nodded, looking down. “Aunt Gin thinks I don’t drink cause it killed my parents. I got caught up in the excitement. I didn’t think I’d see you guys until I was back in control.” It was three in the morning, after all.

Clint hugged his new soulmate hard for a moment. “You’ve been fighting alien mind fuckery for two weeks. Neither of us can claim that. You did it to keep us safe. And even when you did react, you still kept us safe.”

She shrugged. “Been training for almost a decade. Would hope I could have some control.”

Natasha moved some hair behind Ariel’s ear. “You would’ve left us.”

She hesitated, but nodded. “Maybe if I only had one soulmate, I would’ve tried something. But you two have each other. Don’t need me.”

Clint’s whine was audible. Natasha stood up. “You are exhausted and drunk, and therefore not thinking clearly. Drink the rest of your water, we’re going to bed. We can talk more when we wake up.”

Ariel was thoroughly confused, but drained the glass pressed into her hands. Natasha pulled her off the couch and led her to the master bedroom. The assassin pulled the blanket back while Clint helped Ariel settle her stuff on a chair. The two agents put their new soulmate between them and told her to sleep. Once she passed out in their arms, Clint looked at Natasha. “I wonder what a shovel talk from Pepper will be like.”

Natasha smiled just a little. “Both of them will need convincing.”

“Is that what you want to do?” he asked. Ariel was a still a civilian, after all. 

Natasha nodded once. “I like what I’ve seen of her, and now more of it makes sense. It won’t be easy.”

“Yeah, I know.”


	6. A/B/O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ariel knows no one wants a Beta, that’s why she’s happy to avoid Earth for long periods of time. And maybe she’s avoiding her old team. But when Sif and Thor drag her back to join the new Avengers team, she has to face her home world in more ways than one.

When Thor left Earth to deal with his visions, he asked Sif to track down their Power Ranger friend and bring her to the Avengers facility. The other warrior agreed to do this, and it didn’t take more than a week to convince Ariel she was needed on her home world. Ariel was reluctant as ever to return home, but she went with Sif and introductions were made.

For the first week, Ariel was paranoid and jumpy. When Steve asked if she was expecting trouble, she tilted her hand side to side. “I haven’t spoke to my old team since the Siege of Angel Grove. They didn’t like how the war ended.”

“That was as vague as possible,” Sam said with a grin.

Ariel rolled her eyes. “Our mentor was on the ship above the city. I meant to release a computer virus that would spread throughout the fleet, found him being drained of energy. He asked me to kill him, so that his power could cleanse the galaxy of Ranger evil.”

Steve sighed, catching on immediately. “And the war ended.”

“I’ve visited the planet long enough to make my parents think I’m just Peace Corps, but not long enough to be found by them. I don’t have enemies, well, none that I won’t see coming. The Machine Empire hasn’t been wiped out yet, but that’s another galaxy and they know better than to come to Earth.”  
~  
Ariel settled into training with the Avengers without complaint. She took meals with the team and looked over old battles to learn tactics never really employed as a Power Ranger. There were days everyone got along and days when no one wanted a thing to do with each other. They watched movies together and challenged each other in all sorts of idiocy.

Ariel connected with Wanda best. The witch was only a few years younger than Ariel, and new not only to the people, but the country, and concepts or being a hero in a secret government organization. They made lists of things they wanted to do now that they had the time and money, and Ariel helped her fulfill those ideas on their off days. Sometimes one of the others joined them, but it was usually Wanda’s Alpha, Natasha. The Alpha was a hint protective of her new bond, but not unwilling to have her out of sight.

Ariel caught up on books and movies, discussing music with Steve and letting Sam make playlists for her. She and Rhodey got into contests, drinking and otherwise, over who had to the craziest shit on an op. She and Natasha, strangely enough, had bake-offs. Maria never passed a proper judgement on those, and when Fury was around, he would just take samples of each and leave.


	7. A/B/O pt2

After one of Wanda’s nightmares ripped a crack in the floor and numbed Natasha’s right arm, Ariel got in contact with a few mages and had some supplies sent to her. She sat down with the bonded pair and set out the various items. “In the name of a decent night’s sleep, I’d like to help you with you, Wanda, with your powers, and you, Natasha, with not getting zapped.”

Wanda nodded. “I will listen, but I will make no promises.”

“Listening is a part of learning, so I’ll take it. These are trainee stones; after connecting with a student, any outburst energy is stored in them. This keeps accidents under control and provides extra energy to practice with later. Pretty much everyone who goes into mage training gets a handful to litter around their lives.”

“Will connecting to them be hard?”

“Nope. They’re meant to be easy to interact with, and I still have one next to my bed.”

Wanda nodded, then pointed to the necklaces. Ariel pulled her own stone out from under her shirt. “Tamed energy storage. Not as wild as accidental magic, and meant for an extra boost if you start to run low.” She pointed to a couple on clips. “Corner stones. Tie a bit of magic to them, like a shield, and drop a bit more energy into it to keep it running. Won’t last forever, but it’s handy.”

Natasha picked up a simple braided bracelet. “And this?”

“Would be for you. Dissipates magic if it’s overwhelming your body. This way, Wanda can still help you, but you don’t have to worry about accidental magic. You can wake her up and only have to worry about a fist to your face.”

“That,” Natasha looked at Wanda with a small grin, “I can handle.”  
~  
Ariel and Wanda sat across from each other in a smaller building Ariel had warded for magic practice. Natasha stood ready with icers, just in case control went a little wild. Ariel took Wanda’s hands and smiled. “Just because the magic is new, doesn’t mean it wasn’t always there. The hyena has always been my spirit animal, even if I wasn’t aware of it until I earned the Ninjetti powers. It’s daunting, but not impossible. Okay?”

Wanda nodded. That made a lot of sense. Yes, Hydra did something awful to bring their abilities to the forefront, but there had to be something there to bring forth in first place. 

“With Morphing as a Power Ranger, we were taught to raise our devices and shout the name of our power. This was a focus for us, to that we couldn’t be distracted. Now…” Ariel just closed her eyes for a moment, and purple light sparked all over her. She was the Ninjetti Hyena a moment later, and Wanda could feel her power. Then it was gone. “You’re two steps ahead of us when we started, all you need is hand motions. You might want to keep that up even if you don’t need it anymore; it’ll fool your enemies into thinking you NEED to move your hands to work.”

Natasha nodded in approval. “Of course, you’ll absolutely have to kill anyone who sees you working without your hands.”

Wanda took a deep breath and agreed. 

“First lesson.” Ariel released her hands and put a large stone between them. “Fill this till it explodes.”

Wanda blinked.

“Find how quickly, and how much, it takes you to destroy. This is your limit with these certain stones, which are all the same and what we’ll be using for practice. The accidental magic ones are meant to take in wild amounts of energy, but these aren’t.”

The witch nodded and focused her energy. It didn’t take long at all, enough though she was controlling the speed and power. When it did erupt, Ariel flicked a finger to contain the pieces and dust. Wanda blinked again. “I didn’t feel that.”

“Different energies, one, and I’m barely using any, two. When you understand the hows and why of your power, you’ll be able to do using less energy. There is a science to this, but that’s later.”

“Why not now?”

Ariel grinned. She raised her hands, and suddenly a web of power filled the room. Both Alpha and Beta startled. “This is the Morphin’ Grid, that which every Power Ranger and the entire Ranger Corps taps into. It’s a type of quantum energy, which in Ranger common tongue is called Gaxiona. Every Ranger Power is somehow connected to it, and our systems, from teleportation to ships to computers, taps into it.”

Natasha raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell Stark.”

Wanda looked at her. “I’d think you’d want to see his eyes explode in disbelief.”

Natasha grinned just a little. “Maybe.”

Ariel expanded one length of the web. “But even this is atoms and quarks and neutrons, just on a level Earth science can’t comprehend. Your power will be the same. I figure you being a battle mage we start with practicals before theory, control before expansion. Once we start on the science, you’ll start making your own connections and experiments.”

The grid faded away. 

Wanda picked up a practice stone with her magic. “What’s next?”


	8. A/B/O pt3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lil' bit of sexy times.

Ariel dozed in the hammock she set up in a tree a bit away from the compound, book on her stomach. It was an off day, and one of the last few of summer. She was going to enjoy. At least until she could start pelting her teammates with snowballs. Natasha was the closest thing they had to a sniper these days, with the archer gone to be with his family.

Ariel checked on those protections for a moment. She understood the want of home and pack, even if she would never seek it for herself. Satisfied that all energies were level, she slipped away from the farm. 

“What’ll you do in winter?” Natasha asked as she approached.

“What I do every winter: Hoard snowballs in strategic locations.”

The redhead boosted herself onto a branch, leaning against the trunk. “It probably wasn’t wise to tell me that.”

Ariel grinned. “We have different ideas on strategic. Want the hammock?”

“No, this is comfortable. Thank you for helping Wanda.” 

“I teach what I know, it’s a Ranger thing.”

“You don’t need to be friendly, or so willing to let her distract you from the lesson. But you answer questions as they come up, and you don’t tell her what she is or isn’t ready to know. It’s made it easier for her to learn, I think.”

“Regimen has a time and place. A crash course in magic isn’t one of them. If this was wand magic, or something like it, I’d have a bit more structure, but she’s similar to a chaos mage, and that requires following the course of the magic.”

“Brawn and brains, I might swoon.”

“Good, cause my baking sure ain’t doing the trick.”

Natasha laughed. “Do we still agree on when victory is declared?”

Ariel nodded. “And not a moment sooner.”  
~  
Insomnia wasn’t exactly rare among Power Rangers. Just because most enemies tended towards breaking apart over bleeding out didn’t mean the battles and wars were clean. Gruesome things happened, no matter what. And now Ariel was killing actual people, which was leaving her even more fucked up than usual. Sure, she was talking about it with the proper people, but it still wasn’t easy.

So sometimes she headed down to the pool in the Avenger quarters, as it was a encased in glass and allowed a view of the sky. She liked to play whale songs and float, listening to humpbacks sing back and forth. It was calming, under the stars, in the hollow realm of water.

She slid in the door and froze, her powers kicking in to hide her on instinct.

Wanda was at the edge of the pool, legs over Natasha’s shoulders as the Alpha ate out her Omega. The witch was moaning in pure pleasure, back arched, body quaking. She was beautiful, and lust pooled low in Ariel’s belly. She quickly slipped into the shadows and back to her room.

That would’ve been embarrassing. 

Ariel threw herself on her bed and pulled a vibe out from the bag hidden between wall and mattress. Her pants were gone a moment later, and she slid the cool toy against herself. Eyes falling closed, she imagine the duo, pleasing them, being touched. Yes, Wanda was her friend, but a very attractive one that Ariel wanted to love and bond with. Wanda was more than Ariel deserved in a friend. As for Natasha, Ariel could learn to care more deeply for the Alpha that needed no displays of dominance. 

Ariel imagined exploring Wanda’s body, looking for the sites of gasps and groans, hearing her moan as she came apart. She thought of Natasha working beside her, as they worked the Omega to orgasm again and again. Then Ariel would work herself against Natasha, sucking the red head’s tits, touching her just enough….

Ariel bit back her moan as her body shuddered. Yeah, that felt good. Maybe she could sleep now.

In the pool, Natasha cuddled her Omega close, knowing that once Wanda caught her breath, Natasha would be getting her kindness paid back. She doubted the witch sensed Ariel’s arrival, because there was some truth to the sexual expertise of the Black Widow. But Natasha would never let her guard down in so open a space. She’d seen the way the beta froze and retreated. Pity. She’d have to be more direct with getting the Ranger into her pack.


	9. A/B/O pt4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably won't get to anything until the weekend. If. Maybe. Haven't had a day off in two weeks. I might just sleep.
> 
> I made up shit for Betas. -shrug- most fix concerns itself with A/O. Work with me here.

"I don't understand," Wanda murmured as Ariel led her through the halls.

The Power Ranger growled at a staring Alpha before answering her friend. "Heat cycles don't settle in stressful environments. If hasn't been six months since you got here. Your body is probably only now finding its rhythm."

Word had spread and there just happened to be three Alphas in their way. Ariel called on her power animal as she spoke. "I will rip your limbs off and beat you with them if you don't get out  of our way."

The glowing eyes might have been a bit much. But they moved. Steve eventually caught up to them to lead the rest of the way to Wanda's rooms. He said he would stand gaurd, even if there was a heat lockdown on the room.

Ariel loaded a bedside table with water bottles while Wanda curled up around a pillow that smelled like Natasha. "Suppressants or knotting toy?"

"Alpha."

"Your Alpha is in China. Drugs or plastic?"

Wanda glared at her. Ariel climbed into the bed and wrapped herself around the shivering omega. Wanda buried her face in Natasha's pillow and tried to calm down. It was only a few minutes before she rolled over, still clutching the pillow. "I don't want drugs. They did things to us... But I've never had a toy."

"If you're comfortable with me seeing your lady bits in a sexual way, I can at least make it funny."

Wanda gave her a dubious look. “I could do it myself.”

“The joy of sex is being able to revel in what you’re feeling. Masturbating requires you to focus on what you’re doing. Having a partner means they do the work and you get orgasms.”

“I want to see the toys first.”

Ariel nodded and dug her phone out of her pocket. Steve picked up on the first ring. “I need you to raid a heat room for toys.”

“Hill is on her way with supplies.”

“Awesome.” Ariel shoved her phone back into her jeans. Wanda was a little red with embarrassment. Ariel squeezed her for a moment. “This is natural. Heat happens. If people are shitheads about it, I’ll punch them.”

“You’ve gotten really violent in the last half an hour.”

“Violence is the only thing stupid alphas are gonna understand.”

Wanda flinched when there was a knock on the door. Ariel squeezed her briefly before getting up and cracking the door just enough to see who was on the other side. Maria had a plastic case in her hands, and didn’t look at all bothered by the scent leaking out of the room. Ariel thanked her and took the box before initiating the lock down again. She set the case on the foot of the bed, which Wanda sat up to paw through.

There were a few water bottles, some protein rich food, and a few doses of suppressants. The toys were various in both use and size, some being battery operated and others just straight knotted dongs. At the bottom of the box was a sweater in a sealed plastic bag. Wanda opened it and her eyes glazed over at the scent of her Alpha in rut. Apparently, Natasha had foreseen this possibility. 

Ariel held the sweater to Wanda’s face so the omega could get her pants off without having to decide what she wanted more, scent or pants. The toy Wanda grabbed could be trigged to knot at the users convenience. Ariel set the sweater on Wanda’s face when the witch laid down and picked up the box as the omega lost herself to her heat. 

One water bottle went on a bedside table while the rest went into the fridge. She set the toys on the side of the bed Wanda wasn’t using and decided on what meal she would make the omega first. The suppressants went into the bathroom with the other medicines; Wanda might not want them now, but who knows what direction her heat would take her.

Ariel told Maria all was relatively stable for an omega heat. Wanda wanted her alpha, but was working through her situation with only minimal whining. Maria wanted to be kept updated, so she could inform Natasha when the spy made contact. Ariel said she would be staying put unless Wanda kicked her out, and even then would guard the door because Alphas could get crafty and stupid. Maria took no offense, since she wasn’t in that category.

Wanda ate the food put in front of her and passed out. Ariel dozed. Looking after her friend was no hardship. Her dislike of Alpha and Omega dynamics had to do with how Betas were ignored by and large by more technological cultures. It was only in tribal, hunter gatherer, areas that Betas were still considered actual necessities to bonds. Ariel did not like growing up with the knowledge that her biology made the other two thirds of society ignore her just because she didn’t require sex at regular intervals. 

But this, taking care of Wanda, was an aspect that made Betas important. She wasn’t drugged by the hormones in the air, she could keep her head straight. Oh, she wouldn’t mind being a bit more active in helping Wanda, but it was a comfort to the omega because Ariel could walk away. 

But Wanda and Natasha didn’t want or need her like that. She was just a friend, a teacher in magic, and a teammate. She was just a Beta. Wanda had no clue it was much instinct as it was friendship that made Ariel over-protective and violent. The witch didn’t know Betas did react to heat and rut; Beta sexual function shut down in the presence of those scents. Betas couldn’t get aroused because they were required to be the brains of the operation while Alpha and Omega lost themselves. 

Ariel would see Wanda through this, then beat a hasty retreat the moment Natasha was back on base. As much as she liked Wanda, she knew better than to hang around when an Alpha wanted to reaffirm a bond.   
~  
Natasha wasn’t surprised her omega was waiting for her. Maria had told her about the surprise heat the moment the mission was completed, and found the quickest route back for the Alpha. Ariel stood behind Wanda as the quinjet landed, running her hands over the excited Omega’s arms and probably keeping Wanda from prying open the jet like a sardine can. Natasha stepped off and caught Wanda in her arms within moments. The heat had run it’s course, and no scent lingered. Still, Maria knew a debrief wasn’t going to happen until tomorrow.

Natasha looked up to thank Ariel, but the Beta was gone. Fucking ninja.  
‘  
“Thank you.”

Ariel’s reaction was immediate and absent, as she was still focused on her book. “I didn’t do it, you have no evidence.”

“The evidence is your scent all over my bed.”

Ariel blinked and looked up. “Oh, right. Planted evidence?”

Natasha rolled her eyes and sat across from the Ranger. “Thank you for taking care of Wanda. I don’t know if anyone else would’ve been as…hands off.”

“Were I seventeen, I probably wouldn’t’ve been. But watching paint dry made me horny, so probably not the best comparison.”

“I think even your seventeen year old self would’ve cared about her too much to do anything she didn’t consent to.”

“Hey, now, I was a very convincing seventeen year old. No one saw through my lies, after all.”

“Ariel.”

She closed her book. “Sorry. And you’re welcome?”

Natasha was constantly surprised at how someone who was so confident professionally could be so unsure personally. Drop Ariel in a fight and she could lead armies. Drop her in a room full of people to socialize, and retreat was usually her first option. “It’s a relief to know Wanda has you if I’m not around.”

Ariel shrugged. “I try with her. She’s been a friend I wasn’t expecting, coming back to Earth. She’s made being here easier.”

"You've done the same for her." Natasha got up and left, leaving a surprised and confused beta behind.


	10. A/B/O pt5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuses. I'm hoping to get back on track with my other fic, and maybe start a Avengers were Power Rangers as youngsters. I'll post the other bits to the stories already in this one, too.

It was snowing, and Wanda didn’t exactly hate it this time around. For one, there was someplace warm to sleep and her clothing was useful. Pietro was having a little too much fun, but she was just happy he was awake and regaining his strength. At the moment, she and Ariel were hiding just out of sight, watching Sam and Steve emerge from the trees after a forest run. Tracks were all well and good, but terrain was better to train on.

Ariel pelted Steve in the back of the head with a snowball. That stopped the soldiers long enough for Wanda to use her magic to drop some snow from the tree above them. Not enough to hurt, just enough to make a point.

“This means war!” Sam yelled across the field.

“Bring it on, soldier boys!” Ariel shouted back.

Steve picked up a chunk of snow and started to run at them, causing the duo to flee deeper into the woods. When they knew he hadn’t pursued them further, they stopped to lean against a tree and laugh. They weren’t too worried; locker rooms, sleeping quarters and dangerous food was off limits. No pot or laxative brownies would find their way into their stomachs, but something that would result in red dyed pee was another matter entirely. 

Wanda heard a thump a moment before snow landed on her hat and found its way into her collar. She shrieked and leapt away from the tree, mock glaring at the cackling ninja. Wanda tackled Ariel into the snow, scooping it up and shoving it into the purple coat. Ariel laughed and tried to retaliate, but Wanda got some in her hood and Ariel called a forfeit. Sitting back on Ariel’s legs, Wanda was struck dumb for just a moment. 

Sprawled beneath her, cheeks red with glee and cold, eyes bright, Ariel was beautiful. Oh, her friend was pretty enough to those around her, but here, now? 

Stunning.

Wanda didn’t realize she was pressing a kiss to Ariel’s lips until she was doing it. She pulled back, but the way Ariel’s head lifted to follow, how hands suddenly found each other…Wanda leaned back in and kissed her again, this time meaning it. Ariel made a noise of pure contentment. Wanda lingered a bit longer, but eventually sat up. The snow was melting down her back and soon Ariel would be no better. “We’ll regret our snow throwing before we get back inside.” She stood and offered Ariel a hand up. The Ranger took it, and once standing, Wanda kissed her again. Before she could pull too far back, Ariel put a hand on her hip.

“You mean this?”

Wanda nodded, smiling gently. She might be the omega, but she had a bondmate. Ariel had no bond to comfort her. “Yes. And Natasha will be happy as well.” Ariel looked a hint apprehensive at Natasha’s mention, so Wanda kissed her again. “Trust me.”

That, apparently, Ariel could do easily enough. Wanda held her hand as they walked back through the trees to the compound. She could feel the beta’s happy energy and excitement. It was making her a little giddy. Before they left the tree line, Wanda stopped her for another kiss. Once inside, Wanda told her to change clothes and come to her quarters for hot food and drink. Ariel agreed and near about scampered off. Wanda would make sure Ariel was completely comfortable before bringing her Alpha into the room. Though this was something they both wanted, Natasha did have Alpha instincts. The control she had was amazing, but to finally get what they’ve been trying for? 

Either the rest of the day would go very well, or there would no longer be a Power Ranger with the Avengers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's maybe two or three parts left to this particular ABO. I have others, but none of them are nearly as complete.


End file.
